17.05.12
Is poor health inevitable?
Prevention, it is often said, is better than a cure. But how far can we take this idea and what are the implications of doing so?
In the case of cardio-vascular risk, the best form of prevention is obviously to implement lifestyle changes; eat more healthily, exercise regularly, minimise stress.
Yet is clear that for many people there is still a lack of motivation to alter their behaviour in such ways.
So should we simply accept this, and counter the growing risk with medication for currently healthy individuals? It could save significant costs on the NHS, as well as many lives.
But resorting to such a blanket approach could normalise the path towards high risk, cutting off the option for people to proactively manage their own health and leading medication to be seen as the default option for preventing disease.
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